Report: Wigan 3 Rovers 0

Rovers had an afternoon to forget as they went down 3-0 to Wigan Athletic.

The DW Stadium hasn't been a happy hunting ground for Rovers in recent years and that proved to be the case once more with a disappointing display.

Will Grigg opened the scoring for Wigan on 14 minutes when he showed quick rections to Max Power's sliced shot to head home.

Yanic Wildschut then struck the woodwork, but in a one-sided half, the Latics doubled their advantage as Nick Powell scored direct from a free-kick.

Rovers went close to pulling a goal back early in the second half as Jack Byrne struck the bar, but the newly-promoted side dashed any hopes of a comeback when Shane Duffy could only bundle a Michael Jacobs flick into his own net.

Owen Coyle's side have little time to dwell on a second straight league defeat, as a trip to Cardiff City follows this Wednesday.

Before kick-off Rovers made two changes from the side that knocked Mansfield out of the EFL Cup on Tuesday night.

Adam Henley and Liam Feeney returned to the starting XI, with Stephen Hendrie and Craig Conway dropping to the bench. Whilst new signing Sam Gallagher was also named amongst the substitutes.

The hosts made six changes from their midweek loss to Oldham, with Adam Bogdan, Alex Gilbey, Dan Burn, Nick Powell, Yanic Wildschut, and Luke Burke all coming into the side.

Wigan set the tone to what was to be a one-side first half with an excellent chance after just three minutes at the DW Stadium. Wildschut found it all too easy to burst past a static Rovers back line to feed Gilbey, but the midfielder fired wide.

However it wouldn't take the Latics long to open the scoring with a goal on 14 minutes, although there was a huge slice of luck associated with it.

As the home side worked the ball through midfield, Max Power sliced his shot towards goal, but with it came fortune as it found the head of Grigg and his first-time looping header flew over a stranded Jason Steele and into the back of the net.

Stung by going behind Rovers had a spell where they saw more of the ball, but against a disciplined Latics side they were unable to make anything of it.

Instead it was Powell forcing Steele into making a smart save, Wildschut pounced on the rebound but his effort slammed against the ball.

With three goals in his first two appearances, Anthony Stokes turned and fired goalwards on the half hour, but Adam Bogdan wasn't troubled as the ball flashed wide.

A minute later and Grigg was denied his second of the game from close-range, but on 33 Wigan did get the second goal their play deserved.

After Jason Lowe had been booked for a foul on David Perkins, Powell took the free-kick from the left corner of the area. Catching Steele out at his near post, the ball found the back of the net despite the Rovers number one getting a strong hand to the ball.

The hosts continue to pepper the Rovers goal with efforts. Grigg coming closest with a shot that trickled just wide.

Danny Graham, who had seen little of the ball in the opening 45, latched onto a Darragh Lenihan through ball in added time at the end of the first half, but his effort went the wrong side of the upright.

Hendrie replaced Henley at the break, whilst Feeney made way for Conway soon afterwards as Rovers returned to the side that faced Mansfield in midweek.

The introduction of Conway coincided with Rovers' best spell of play, with the visitors almost pulling a goal back on 55 minutes.

As Rovers worked the ball inside, Lenihan fed Byrne and the midfielder swept a lovely first-time effort from 25-yards that clipped the top of the crossbar.

A minute later a long throw from Marshall saw Bogdan fail to get a clean connection with his attempted punch, Duffy fired goalwards but the ball deflected over.

Then as Rovers continued to push Wigan back they earned a corner. Conway sent it into the mix, Stokes inches away with a back header that flew just wide.

But despite the positive response at the start of the second half it was the Latics who grabbed the all-important next goal to put the game beyond Rovers on 63 minutes.

After a corner had initially been cleared to the far side, Will Power delivered to the near post, substitute Michael Jacobs got a touch and the ball deflected off the unfortunate Duffy and into the back of the net.

Rovers made their third and final change on 67 minutes as Sam Gallagher replaced Danny Graham, and although Byrne and Marshall both forced Bogdan into making late saves, the home side saw the game out comfortably to claim their first three points of the season, leaving Rovers still searching for theirs.